How could an Academic Skills Adviser help me?

  

Starting university and haven't come across a referencing system before or are not sure where to start with an assignment? Unsure how you will manage your time, with lectures, seminars, reading and coursework to do? Need some strategies which could help boost your grades from a 2:1 to a First? If this is you, then read on to discover how one of our Academic Skills Advisers could help you when you start at Winchester.  

How can I engage with an Academic Skills Adviser?  

We offer different ways to support you with your academic skills, so that you have the techniques to help you achieve the best academic grades you can while at Winchester, as well as skills to take into future employment and life beyond university. Here’s how we can help:   

• Tailored support. You can book a 30-minute 1-1 appointment with an adviser in advance at any point during the year, or even at short notice during term time. These sessions can be online or in person and are a great opportunity to get advice on developing a skill that you are less confident with or to improve your work based on the feedback you have received.
• These run in both semesters and cover a wide range of skills needed for studying efficiently and effectively at university. The aim of the group setting is to learn alongside students from different years and different courses so that you can support each other, whilst getting advice from the workshop leader.
• Online resources. Our comprehensive resource bank, SkillsNet, is on our university learning platform called Canvas which you can access at any time. Resources cover lots of topics from exam revision strategies, to how to write a report, to writing a dissertation proposal. 
• Paper-based resources. Come to the Academic Skills office on the ground floor of the Winton Building where you can collect paper resources such as this. These are also available on SkillsNet.  

 

• SMART Buddies. Our SMART Buddies are trained, second year, third year or Masters Winchester students who can give you advice on skills such as time management and writing skills to help you succeed in your assignments. Your Buddy will meet with you for approximately 30-45 minutes a week, for as long as you are part of the scheme, and they are a fantastic source of support and motivation. Current students can find out more on the Student Academic Support pages on the Intranet or by emailing studymentoring@winchester.ac.uk 
• Request a group session. If you and your friends or coursemates have a particular skill that you all want to develop, you can get a group together and ask the Academic Skills team to run a group session for you on that particular skill. 

What type of skills could an Adviser help me with?  

Here are just some examples of the skills you could develop with guidance from an Academic Skills Adviser:  

• Time management. 
• Reading (skimming, scanning, top and tailing, reading proactively with questions) and research (engaging with appropriate sources and using them effectively in your assignments). 
• Academic integrity. For example, making sure you acknowledge the work of others in your assignments, showing the range of your research and referencing correctly. 
• Academic writing. Using correct grammar and sentence construction, as well as structuring and using appropriate style and tone. 

What are an Adviser’s top tips for academic skills success at Winchester?  

Come and seek support from us and make the most of the development opportunities that are available. Start early and don’t leave assignment preparation to the last minute. Engage with the feedback from your tutors.  

If you haven’t started at Winchester yet, have a look at our page on our main website for more information 

Academic skills - University of Winchester

If you are a current University of Winchester student, you can book using the online booking forms on the Intranet or by calling +44 (0)1962 827341. 

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